Oh, the Places You’ll Go… And the Ones You Never Saw Coming

This is the time of year when transition is in the air. Kids move up a grade. Graduation parties start filling our weekends. There’s excitement—and for many, a deep sense of fear.

Because stepping into the “real world”? It’s terrifying.

At 18, we’re expected to decide what we want to do with the rest of our lives. If we go to college, we buy ourselves a few more years—time to delay total independence. But that looming question of what’s next? never really goes away.

I remember my senior year of college so clearly. My gut issues flared with stress. I developed ulcers in my eyes and rashes on my back. It was all physical proof of how much anxiety I felt about the unknown.

Since graduating, I’ve had three completely different careers:

• I worked as a graphics operator in sports broadcasting.

• I was a preschool special education teacher.

• And now, I’m a writer.

Each season of my life led to the next—even when I couldn’t see the path ahead. What I’ve learned is this: we are not stuck. We always have the option to shift, pivot, evolve.

I remember my exit interview when I left ESPN. My director asked why I was leaving. I had been offered a chance to work on an independent film—something I’d always dreamed of doing. I told him, “I never want to look back at my life and say, I wish I would have. I could have. I should have.”

Now, more than 20 years later, I’ve lived and traveled more paths than I ever imagined. I worked two Olympics—the Sydney Summer Games and the Salt Lake City Winter Games. I traveled to exciting places as a freelance graphics operator. Later, as a teacher, I had the gift of being available for my kids at home and working tirelessly to support my students in the classroom. Every stage of life brought something new—and sometimes, something completely unexpected.

Not always easy or fun.

“You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.” — Dr. Seuss

“And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.”

My writing coach told me, “In your mind, you can’t focus on fear and gratitude at the same time. So whenever you feel afraid, think of something to be grateful for.”

That resonated with me. Fear and gratitude can’t exist in the same space. So these days, I’m choosing to live from a place of gratitude. Grateful for where life has taken me. For the people in my world. And for the readers who take the time to engage with my writing.

I’ve always been a reader—books gave me a way to escape whatever was going on in my day. Now, I write in hopes that I can offer the same to someone else. A place to breathe. To pause. To feel seen.

So whatever path you’re on—whether it’s just beginning or feels like it’s shifting—I hope you take a moment to reflect with gratitude. Life is unpredictable. Change is the only constant. But there’s so much beauty in that.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.… And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)” — Dr. Seuss